Creating a stronger nation-wide presence for aged care advocacy, individuals and service providers is the top priority of the first chief of the Older Persons Advocacy Network, he tells Australian Ageing Agenda.

Australia’s adoption of a new national system providing advocacy for older people receiving aged care has progressed with the Commonwealth this morning releasing an updated draft framework and opening the funding round to deliver services.

The government has raised the prospect of a new national advocacy service for aged care clients, but the existing state-based agencies are being backed by key stakeholders in arguing for the status quo – with some improvements.